


Fantastic Beast(keeper)s and How to Care for Them

by youthoughtyouknew



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Sick Newt, Sickfic, crimes of grindelwald never happened, jacob's just happy to be helping, literally so much fluff, newt is an awkward dork, not beta'd we die like heroes, please just read it i did my best, protective magical beasts, tina and queenie are done with his idiocy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-01-24 10:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21336841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youthoughtyouknew/pseuds/youthoughtyouknew
Summary: While visiting his friends in New York, Newt comes down with a bad cold. And with Newt out of commission, there's no one to prevent the spells keeping his beasts inside the case from expiring...
Relationships: Queenie Goldstein/Jacob Kowalski, Tina Goldstein/Newt Scamander
Comments: 18
Kudos: 87





	1. Newt Arrives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, the first Book of Fictions story has been chosen! Here ya go, folks!

The sky was in a wet mood. It rained on New York City. It rained on the New Yorkers as they rushed to get where they had to go. It rained especially hard on the young man with the case, who was hurrying along down a street devoid of traffic.

_Just like the storm Frank made last time_, Newton Scamander thought, tilting his head to look up at the swollen clouds darkening the sky. Then, _Achoo!_

Newt was used to wet weather. A Londoner born and bred, he'd spent much of his childhood with damp clothes and muddy shoes. Of course, when one went travelling in other ecosystems for the next decade or so, especially ecosystems that didn't get much rain, one tended to forget just how _penetrating_ the wetness was.

"ACHOO!" Newt turned up the collar of his overcoat and hurried on, cursing his own stupidity. He'd left his wand in the Bowtruckle tree as a sort of security blanket for Pickett. Now it was raining buckets and he couldn't even summon a magical umbrella. Fortunately, his destination was just up ahead. Newt picked up the pace.

Queenie answered the door almost before he knocked. "Newt!" In a few quick movements, she swept him into the apartment, pecked him on each cheek, and then looked him over. "We missed you, honey! How've you been? Oh, you're _soaked._ Get that coat off and come warm up."

A bit overwhelmed, Newt did as he was told, face hot because of the kisses. At least, he was pretty sure it was because of the kisses. He'd been feeling a bit warm lately.

Queenie frowned. "Are you-"

"Newt!" Jacob Kowalsky appeared, grinning from ear to ear. Newt stiffened as his friend practically crushed him in an enthusiastic hug, inadvertently trapping his arms at his sides. _It's been awhile since my last hug_, he realized. _I... think I missed this._ Awkwardly, he relaxed his posture and did his best to return the gesture. "It's good to see you!" Jacob said cheerfully, thumping Newt on the back and letting go. "How you doin'?" He eyed Newt's case with a combination of anticipation and wariness. "Still got your beasts?"

Newt nodded. "Er, yes. Nothing too powerful this time." Which wasn't _strictly_ true. Quite a few of his creatures could put up a strong fight if threatened. But his friends didn't need to know that. Especially Tina, who'd gotten in more than her fair share of trouble for it last time. That reminded him...

"Teenie's in her room," Queenie explained. "She'll be out in a minute. In the meantime, why don't you sit down and tell us what all went on while you were away?"

_Shouldn't we wait for her?_ But Newt allowed himself to be led to the couch and seated. If Queenie wanted something, she'd find a way to make it happen regardless of your opinion. "Not a lot happened," he admitted. "I visited Hogwarts... Professor Dumbledore wanted my help setting up a Care of Magical Creatures class. Recommendations for what creatures to use, mostly. Oh, and I spent a lot of time training my new assistant, Bunty Weasley. She'll do a wonderful job looking after things at home while I'm away. Maybe even better than the old one."

"At home?" Queenie repeated, just as Jacob said in horror, "What happened to the old one?"

Newt waved a hand vaguely. "My house in London is where most of my patients stay until I can release them. The case is for the ones I can't leave behind when I travel, and for creatures I pick up during the trip. As for my old assistant, he had to resign due to family problems." He blinked hard a few times. Was he imagining it, or were things starting to look a bit blurry?

His friends exchanged a concerned look. "Are you feelin' okay, buddy?" Jacob asked.

"Of course." Newt rubbed his eyes. "I'm just a little tired. 'S been a long trip." He cracked a smile. "So, how have things been over here?" Hmm, not bad for someone with (very) limited experience with small talk.

"Oh, it's been _wonderful_," Queenie enthused. "_So_ worth lying low!"

"To keep MACUSA outta our hair," Jacob explained unnecessarily. He squeezed Queenie's hand, and they smiled lovingly at each other.

"And it's all thanks to you and your creatures," the Legilimens added, turning to face Newt. "If your Murrat hadn't escaped, we never would have met."

"I think you mean _Murtlap._"

Newt sat up straight, suddenly wide awake. "Tina!"

Tina Goldstein paused in the doorway. Her face - every bit as intense and beautiful as Newt remembered - lit up as she recognized him. A flattering pink hue rose in her cheeks for some reason as she smiled. "It's good to see you again, Newt."

Newt stood - oof, head rush - and held out his hand. _No, that's not right…_ He lowered his hand and spread his arms, trying to mimic Jacob's welcoming pose. He was almost certain he wasn't doing it properly. _Maybe I should be-_

Tina embraced him. Newt's arms hugged back as if they had a mind of their own. His nose brushed her hair, and when he inhaled, he took in her scent - a light, pleasant blend of spices, coffee, and something faintly metallic and smoky, like New York itself. Thank heavens his nose wasn't too badly plugged up.

The hug ended and both of them stepped back. Tina gave Newt an appraising look, then shifted her gaze to the case. "How are they?"

Warmth spread through Newt's entire being. _She thinks about the beasts first, just like me!_ "They're doing very well. I've got the Erumpent and the Occamys back home and settled. The Niffler has a mate and three babies. Oh, and Pickett's finally gotten over his cold."

"And passed it on to you," Queenie muttered. Or maybe she muttered something else, but Newt was fairly sure that was it.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, nothing," Queenie said brightly. "How about a snack, huh? We have the world's most talented chef among us, after all."

"Oh, stop," Jacob said, grinning. He waved at the table, where a case very similar to Newt's sat. "But hey, whaddaya know, I came prepared."

A short while later, all four were at the table. Newt and the sisters watched in anticipation as Jacob undid the latches and lifted the lid with a flourish. "Behold!"

Newt blinked. He could feel a smile forming on his face. Most of the pastries resembled his beasts! "These... I don't... You've outdone yourself."

Jacob bowed and sat down. "Thank you, Mister Scamander."

Queenie kissed her boyfriend on the cheek before selecting a Demiguise biscuit. Tina nibbled a soft pretzel depicting an Occamy in intricate detail. Newt picked up a pastry and examined it. "It's Niff," he said delightedly, showing it to Tina.

The Auror smiled. "Remember how much of a mess she made the last time you were here?"

"He, actually," Newt corrected. "And how could I forget? I've never had so many complete strangers upset at me all at the same time!" He chuckled. "Including you. You're very intimidating when you're angry, did you know?"

A slightly awkward lull in the conversation. _Did I say something wrong?_ Newt worried. _Oh no, did I offend Tina? What should I say to fix things? Why am I so bad at this?_

"What do you call a baby Niffler, anyway?" Jacob wondered, breaking the silence. "A Nifflet?"

"Niffling?" Queenie guessed.

Newt shook his head, relieved that things weren't completely ruined. "You call it a baby Niffler," he said. The others groaned. Newt shrugged. "There aren't exactly scores of magizoologists coming up with names."

"You could be the one to decide what the baby creatures are called," Tina suggested. "You know, since you're kind of the only one. And you could put them in your next book."

Newt nodded thoughtfully. Wait. The book! "That reminds me." He drew Tina's copy from the pocket of his waistcoat and held it out. "I came to deliver this, as promised."

As Tina took the book and paged through it slowly, Newt rummaged around - enchanted pockets, both a blessing and a curse - and found two more copies, which he offered to Jacob and Queenie. "I also brought copies for you two. I didn't know if you'd want to share or not, so..." There was more to the thought, but it was pretty fuzzy, so he let it go and focused on his friends as they accepted the gifts.

"Thanks, sweetie," Queenie said, flipping through the pages. "Oh, here's the one on my cookie! The creature that could see the future and go invisible, right?"

"A Demiguise," Tina recalled, at the same time that Newt said, "That was Dougal." Their eyes met. _She remembered_, Newt thought a bit giddily. Also, _Her eyes are like a salamander's. Fire in dark water. Amazing._

Queenie giggled. "Oh, you two are _adorable._"

Both Newt and Tina flushed and looked away. Newt sneezed again.

"Oh dear," Queenie said. "Are you staying close by, Newt? It sounds like your cold's getting worse."

Newt produced a handkerchief from one of his pockets and blew his nose. "It's just a fifteen-minute walk from here. I'll be fine."

"In the pouring rain?" Jacob asked incredulously. "And at _night?_"

"I'll be fine." Newt stood.

Immediately, hands took him by the shoulders and pushed him back down. "Oh no you don't," Queenie said firmly. "You're staying with us tonight, honey."

"I don't want to be a bother," Newt protested.

"You _won't_ be. We're delighted to have you."

"But-"

"Listen, Newt," Jacob put in. "You don't know this area so good. There's some nasty people that come out at night."

Newt frowned. "I can handle myself."

"But you're _sick_," Tina blurted.

There was a pause.

Newt shook his head. "I'm _fine._ A little under the weather is all." His point was undermined by the three large sneezes that forced their way out immediately after.

"_Newt._" Tina's voice was quiet but firm - the ideal tone for chastising a misbehaving animal. Newt stopped protesting.

"Maybe for one night," he said in a voice smaller than he'd intended.

Queenie nodded in satisfaction and turned to Jacob. "How about you, honey? Staying the night?"

Jacob shook his head - to no protest, Newt noted with vague grumpiness. "Not tonight. But I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning since Sunday's my day off." He looked at the clock."I should go before it gets too late. Hey Scamander."

Newt looked up from his unfinished pastry. "Mm?"

"Enjoy your stay." Jacob winked. "And keep your case shut, huh?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a oneshot! What happened??


	2. The Goldsteins Take Charge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two!! I wasn't going to do chapters for this one, but I felt bad leaving y'all to wait, so.  
Poor Newt, he's got no control over his life right now...

It wasn’t the first time Newt had been a guest at the Goldsteins’. It was, however, the first time he’d been there on his own.

As soon as Jacob was gone, both sisters turned their attention to Newt. “Right,” Queenie said briskly. “First things first. Take off those wet clothes.”

Newt’s face burned. “_What?_”

Queenie wagged a finger at him. “You’re not doing yourself any favours staying in them, sweetie. We’ll find you something else to wear while they dry, okay?”

“I have some clothes in my case,” Newt mumbled.

Queenie clapped her hands. “Good! Go get changed. I’ll fix up the spare room.” She whirled away, leaving Newt to stare after her blankly.

“I’ve got the kettle going,” Tina said from the kitchen space. “We can make tea, or cocoa if you prefer that.”

“I’m really just fine,” Newt offered hopefully, before sneezing.

“Tea it is.”

“Room’s all ready,” Queenie announced. “C’mon, Newt.”

Newt hesitated. “I need to take care of my creatures,” he protested.

“Do it before you change,” Queenie suggested. “It won’t take too long, right?” Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Newt’s elbow and led him to the spare room. “You remember the way, of course. It’s always nice to have an escort though. And you’re actually staying this time, huh?”

Newt nodded. _I don’t really have a choice._ He set the case down in front of the bed and opened it. Well aware of Queenie’s eyes on him, he stepped inside.

It was oddly quiet inside the case. The beasts made little noise as Newt went about his duties, though it seemed they were all charged with restless energy. Maybe they’d picked up on his weariness and were anxious.

Once everyone had been taken care of, Newt returned to his workshop to peel off his sodden clothing. It was a relief to change into a comfortable shirt and loose trousers, both dry and clean, even if they weren’t his usual nightwear.

Newt climbed back out of the case to find the sisters waiting for him. Tina held a steaming mug.

“That’s… _better_,” Queenie said dubiously, eyeing Newt’s clothes. “No pajamas?”

“They’re back with my things at the inn,” Newt admitted. “I’ve slept in worse conditions.” He looked around. The room was just how he remembered it, except one of the beds had disappeared for some reason. The remaining bed now stood in the middle of the room, the headboard up against the back wall. There was a vase full of flowers on the windowsill, which was also new.

“Thank you for having me,” Newt said. He couldn’t remember if he’d said it already. Or if he was _supposed_ to say it. Human etiquette was so much more _complicated_ than that of any other animal.

“You’re welcome, honey,” Queenie said with a smile.

Tina handed the magizoologist the mug. “Drink this and go to bed,” she ordered.

Newt meekly accepted the drink and sat down on the bed. He took a sip - wow, exactly how he liked it - and gave Tina a small smile. “Thank you.”

A pink tinge darkened the Auror’s cheeks. She nodded silently and disappeared, off to her own room no doubt.

Queenie smiled at Newt as she turned to follow Tina. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Newt said back, and she left, closing the door behind her.

Quiet. Newt sipped his tea and let his mind wander.

It was great that Jacob’s memory was intact. He hadn’t quite believed it when he’d read the letters sent to him from New York. Who knew Jacob’s love of magic would protect his memories from the Swooping Evil venom? And him and Queenie, together and happy, that was great too. They should go to London and get married there, where the American law against witches marrying Muggles couldn’t stop them.

Queenie was definitely happy. Tina seemed happy too. That was very good. She deserved to be happy. Especially since she made Newt feel happy whenever she was around him. There was just something so magnetic about her presence, like a campfire or maybe a lantern on a dark forest path. He was so lucky to have her as a friend. Or perhaps more than a friend?

Newt realized he was looking at his mug, empty and sitting on the nightstand, from a sideways angle. He’d finished his tea and flopped onto his side without noticing what he was doing. _I really am tired._ Also, it was suddenly too cold in here for him. He pulled the covers up to his chin and tried not to shiver.

_There’s something I need to do tomorrow. I can’t forget. It’s very important._

But for some reason, he couldn’t for the life of him remember what it was.

_Oh well._

Newt shifted into a more comfortable position and fell asleep before he could figure out what he was forgetting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my opinion that Jacob knows full well what kind of situation he's left Newt in.


	3. Jacob Gets the Ball Rolling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When it comes to colds and illnesses in general, things tend to get worse before they get better. Newt is no exception.

Newt woke up feeling like he’d been stabbed with an Erumpent horn.

His insides were going crazy trying to figure out if they were too hot or too cold. His head felt like it was stuffed with feathers. His vision swam. Just the act of sitting up in bed felt like a strenuous workout.

_I need to take care of my creatures._

Of course. His patients came first, always. Newt got out of bed, ignoring the wooziness brought on by the action, and reached for his case.

It wasn’t there.

Newt experienced a moment of panic before a fuzzy memory of Tina taking the case with her as she left emerged from the Fwooper nest that was his mind.

_Why would she do that?_

It didn’t matter. He needed to get everyone fed and taken care of. Newt stumbled to the door, took nine laborious steps down the hall, and ran into Queenie.

The Legilimens took one look at him and knew exactly what was going on. “Newt, you can’t! Go back to bed!”

“He’s up?” Tina called from the kitchen.

“Yes,” Queenie called back. She refocused on Newt. “Sweetie, you can’t work like this. You look like you’re going to pass out! Just go back to sleep and let us take care of things, okay?”

“But… my creatures,” Newt croaked. Ouch, sore throat. “They… they need me-”

CLANG!

Tina slammed a lid down and stormed out of the kitchen, eyes blazing. “Stop putting those creatures first and think about YOURSELF for once! You-” Her gaze landed on Newt’s pale, clammy face and shaking hands, and all the frustration on her face melted into concern. “Sweet Mercy Lewis, you look _terrible._ Get back into bed before you fall over!”

“They need me,” Newt managed. He stumbled and leaned heavily against the wall as a wave of lightheadedness washed over him.

“That’s it,” Tina said firmly. “Back to your room, and you’re not leaving until you can stand on your own. We’ll get Jacob to take care of your beasts today.” She and Queenie flanked Newt and all but carried him back to the spare room, where they had him in bed and tucked in before his mind cleared enough for him to realize what was happening.

“Now, get some rest,” Queenie instructed. “We’ll take care of everything.”

Newt sighed, out of resignation or relief, he did not know. “Thank you,” he whispered, and closed his eyes.

Something soft and warm brushed his forehead, but he was too close to sleep to even wonder what it was.

*

Tina wasn’t sure how she felt about housing Newt Scamander when he was sick. Sure, he’d stayed here before - very briefly - but he’d been at full health. And Jacob had been there with him.

It really wasn’t helping that Newt seemed determined to work himself into the hospital. He honestly didn’t seem to realize he himself needed looking after from time to time. That was a level of selflessness - no, _cluelessness_ \- that not even curly hair and a pretty face could make up for.

“You know that’s not true,” Queenie pointed out, pouring herself some coffee.

Tina jumped. “Stop looking through my head without permission!”

“I can’t help it.” Queenie sipped her drink delicately. “You’re so smitten, it’s like watching a romantic film.” There was a pause while the sisters drank their coffee. “I wish you could hear how he thinks, Teen. He’s such a darling. You know, he was _so_ happy to see you. He kept worrying that he’d do something wrong.”

“You shouldn’t be telling me what he thinks,” Tina objected. “It’s not right.”

Queenie nodded contritely. “You’re right.” She smiled mischievously. “You’re also right about his constellation of freckles. And his harbour-green eyes. And his charming naivete and easily flustered manner. Really, Tina, who knew you were a poet?”

“Shh! He might hear you!”

“He’s sound asleep.”

“Are we talking about Newt?” Jacob asked, appearing in the doorway.

Queenie rose and greeted him with a kiss. “Hey, honey. You got it.”

“That doesn’t sound like the Newt I know,” Jacob said thoughtfully. “How’s he doin’?”

“We had to make him go back to bed,” Tina answered, before taking another sip of coffee. “He was more concerned about his creatures being looked after than about his own health.”

Jacob’s eyes lit up. “I’ll take care of them,” he volunteered.

Queenie laughed and patted his arm. “I know,” she said, responding to his thoughts. “Oh, don’t worry about that, sweetie. Newt left instructions by the stairs.”

“I should probably go do it now,” Jacob said. “Newt’s particular about his morning routine.” He looked around. “The case isn’t _with_ him, is it?”

“I’ll get it.” Tina hurried off.

The others watched her go. “So you two were talking about Tina’s crush on Newt, right?” Jacob guessed.

Queenie nodded. “They’re made for each other. Too bad they can’t hear all the _adorable_ thoughts they’ve been having about each other, or _we’d_ be hearing wedding bells by now.”

“Did Newt compare her to a creature again?”

“A salamander.” Queenie frowned reflectively. “The thought itself was incredibly sweet, though. I’ll give him that.”

“Here.” Tina reentered the room and set the case down in front of Jacob. “Just… don’t let any of them out this time.”

“It’s okay,” Jacob said reassuringly. The Muggle confidently opened the case and walked down the first few steps. “There’s a ton of new spells on this thing, to keep everybody where they belong. And to keep last time from happening all over again. Newt told me.” There was a pause as Jacob carefully maneuvered his bulky frame into the small space. “Nothing to worry about,” he finished, and disappeared from view.

The Goldstein sisters shared a look, a single thought passing between them. _I sure hope so._

*

The list was easy to find and easier to read. Written in Newt’s oddly elegant scrawl addressing the magizoologist himself, it described in clear, succinct words what each task was and how to complete it.

Jacob read through it a couple of times, just to be sure he was getting it right. Aside from feeding specifications, there were items such as GIVE HERMIA 5 DROPS GRIFFIN MEDICATION #3 and MAKE SURE MORLEY HAS FRESH REEDS FOR BEDDING. It seemed simple enough. Folding the list and slipping it into his pocket, Jacob got started.

The beasts could definitely tell he wasn’t Newt. For the most part, they were friendly but cautious, with the same sort of restlessness caused by approaching bad weather. Most of them kept their distance. Morley, the baby Kelpie, refused to come near while his bedding was being changed. Dougal blinked solemnly and faded out of sight as Jacob approached.

It was when Jacob was feeding the Bowtruckles that he noticed the wand nestled among the tree’s branches. Pickett sat on the object, one twiglike arm wrapped around it like an anxious child clutching a safety blanket.

“That’s not yours,” Jacob said. He carefully reached in and tried to tug the wand free without hurting Pickett. The Bowtruckle stubbornly held on. “C’mon, little guy. Let go! Newt probably needs this.”

Pickett lost his grip and almost fell off the branch. Righting himself, he waved his arms angrily and blew Jacob a razzberry.

Jacob sighed. “Yeah, I get it. You miss Newt. Sorry guys, but I’ll be feeding you until he gets better.” Tucking Newt’s wand carefully into his pocket, he tidied up after himself and headed for the stairs.

Pickett watched him go, mind racing. Their keeper must be in a lot of trouble if he was sending someone else to take care of them. That was worrisome. There had to be a way to go make sure he was okay!

The Bowtruckle scrambled down the tree and began the journey to the edge of the enclosure. Of course, once he got there, there would be the magical barrier to contend with. Immediately after leaving New York, Newt had cast a bunch of spells on the enclosures to ensure no creature could get out without help from a human. But Pickett was not about to let his keeper suffer alone, barrier or no.

He didn’t know it yet, but that barrier wasn’t going to be a problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh.


	4. Pickett Makes a Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's see what Pickett does with this new development, shall we?

The day passed quietly. The sisters immersed themselves in their own little tasks and activities, while Newt dozed, only waking once when Tina brought soup and tea on a tray and once to use the bathroom.

Around six, Jacob popped in for supper and to go through Newt's evening routine. He completed each task quickly, completely missing the sextet of Bowtruckles making their way to the edge of their enclosure, Pickett in the lead. Blissfully unaware of the impending chaos, Jacob climbed out of the case, kissed Queenie goodnight, and went home.

*

Pickett was exhausted by the time they reached the barrier. Now there was the not-so-small task of dealing with the magic preventing him from getting to Newt. It was strong magic, to restrain every creature from the smallest Doxy to to the largest Ukrainian Ironbelly without sacrificing discernment of species. Newt had chosen his spells well.

That wasn't Pickett's main concern. The magic was in his way.

The Bowtruckle eyed the barrier for a moment, then threw all caution to the wind and ran into it at full tilt.

Newt had been very specific with his spells. The barrier prevented any creature from leaving its enclosure without a human escort, but without the possibility of it getting hurt. Instead of a discomforting zap or an unyielding wall, the barrier was enchanted to flex and bounce any offenders backward. Thus far, the magic had withstood dragon fire, griffin claws, and a charging Erumpent, without a single dent to show for it. A Bowtruckle wouldn’t even come _close_ to getting past it.

So it was a bit of a surprise to every beast present when Pickett passed through the barrier like it was water.

For a moment, nothing happened while Pickett recovered his wits. Running through Newt’s magic had felt like millions of tiny fireflies lighting up his insides and left his bark tingling. At last, he twitched his leafy antennae in determination and set off with renewed vigour, the other Bowtruckles scuttling along behind him.

As the escapees passed the larger enclosures, the beasts within began testing their own barriers. The thicker ones were still quite solid, but the magic was fading quickly...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so short, but there wasn't a lot the story wanted me to do with this chapter :/


	5. The Beasts Make A Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Niffler voice* FOLLOW ME TO FREEDOM

It was late. Everyone was sound asleep in bed.

And so it was that nobody noticed the latches on Newt’s case flipping open as if they had a mind of their own. Nobody saw the lid fly up suddenly, or the Niffler pop out like a jack-in-the-box on a mission.

Normally, the first thing Niff would do upon being released was sniff out some shinies to pilfer, but not tonight. The case had been left in a place that smelled of humans, but Niff’s incredible nose and keen powers of observation told him the keeper wasn’t here.

He followed his nose out of the living room, down the hall, and up to the door leading into the spare bedroom. It was closed, but even a solid oaken door with strong hinges and a lock of iron would be powerless to keep out the flood of beasts that had followed the Niffler here - and this door was not made of solid oak and iron. Furthermore, it was no match for the combined efforts of a Bowtruckle with lock-picking experience and a Demiguise with opposable thumbs.

The beasts had been silent since they emerged from the case, but now they were absolutely soundless as they poured into the spare room and settled in around their sleeping keeper.

And they were still there hours later, when the Goldsteins peeked in to check on Newt. 

*

Newt’s mother was wiping his forehead with a wet towel. It felt nice against his hot skin, even though his hair was getting soaked, and this was oddly thick water, and someone kept poking his face lightly with a fork…

Newt opened his eyes to find Pickett perched on his nose, watching him in concern. “Hey, you,” he murmured hoarsely. Then he became aware of the room’s other occupants.

There was a Kneazle, four Nifflers, and five Bowtruckles snoozing on his lap, an Augurey and a trio of Fwoopers perching on the bed stand, a Demiguise sitting on the windowsill, a Nundu and a Griffin curled up at the foot of the bed, a Unicorn standing to his right, two Mokes clinging to his shirt, a Crup at his feet, three Diricawls next to his pillow, two Puffskeins in his sleeve, and an adolescent Norwegian Ridgeback licking his forehead. Billywigs and Doxies fluttered through the air, and two witches and a Muggle were standing in the doorway looking floored.

“Hello,” Newt said, gently pushing Patsy’s snout away from his head and sitting up. “Did I miss something?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many of you were expecting a FBAWTFT-style rampage?


	6. Everyone Goes Back to Where They Belong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm lowkey so jealous of this scene, my goodness. Imagine waking up surrounded by the creatures from Newt's case, and they're all just kind of hanging out being close to you, because you're their favourite person in the world. Amazing.

”Hello,” Newt said. “Did I miss something?”

Nobody seemed to know how to answer the question. Finally, Jacob said, “Is… that all of them?”

Newt looked around. He didn’t see Morley, the Murtlap, or any of the Wampus cubs. “No.” When none of his friends looked convinced, he added, “It’s most of them, though.”

”That’s good,” Queenie said in relief, having apparently gotten the picture of what _could_ have come out but didn’t. Tina’s face suggested she had other concerns, but Queenie beat her to it. “Can you get them all back into the case before they rampage?” 

”Absolutely.” Newt moved to get out of bed, then gave up when the Unicorn laid its head on his lap. Something moved behind him, and he realized that Ned the Runespoor had been coiled around the head board. “Hello,” Newt whispered to the three-headed snake as it wrapped itself loosely around him like a heavy orange and black scarf.

“Newt,” Tina said slowly. “How did your creatures get out?”

Newt lowered his gaze awkwardly, remembering. “This is a bit embarrassing,” he admitted. “I must have forgotten to renew the spells keeping them, well, _in_.”

“How long have they been down?” Jacob asked, eyes focused on the Nundu.

“What day is it?” Newt mumbled, mostly to himself. Of course, Queenie heard him anyway.

“Monday,” she answered.

Newt’s eyes darted upward, then returned to his lap. “They would have begun to deteriorate around ten o’clock yesterday. In the next twelve hours or so, they'd be gone completely.” He fiddled with the hem of the blanket. “The combination of spells I’ve been experimenting with is a bit stronger than the one I was using before, but it doesn’t last as long. I should have remembered to give it a touch up, but what with my cold and Pickett having my wand and all...”

“About that,” Jacob said, cutting Newt’s nervous rambling short. He took a cautious step into the room, jumping when the Griffin rumbled warningly, and tossed the wizard his wand. “Here.”

“So that’s why you were so desperate to get out,” Newt said to Pickett. The Bowtruckle patted his cheek one more time and made an indignant noise. “Alright, yes, but he didn’t know.” Newt picked him up gently and relocated him to his breast pocket, then carefully extricated his legs from beneath the miniature zoo located on the bed. “Let’s get you all back where you belong.”

“Maybe _we_ should do that?” Tina said a bit anxiously.

“Thank you, but I’ll manage.” Newt pushed Knickers’s head away gently, then stood, stretched, and looked around the room.

“I’ll go get it,” Queenie said helpfully. She hurried off, leaving Jacob to eye the assortment of beasts warily and Tina to stare at Newt like he had dragon spittle in his hair. Which he did.

Newt wasn’t one to worry about how he looked, but under Tina’s scrutiny, he was suddenly and very acutely aware of how much of a mess he was, standing there in his crummy oversized hand-me-downs with two lizards and a snake decorating his shirt, a Bowtruckle peeking out of his pocket, and half of his hair standing straight up in a stiff mess of spittle-hardened curls. And probably he had pillow creases on his face and his nose was very runny-looking, because of course he had to look like crud in front of the strongest, kindest, prettiest lady the world could produce. She’d made him tea, and asked about the things that were important to him, and maybe maybe maybe kissed him goodnight, which was a thing that hadn’t happened to Newt in many, many years. And here he was in her spare bedroom, looking like a sloppy urchin.

Newt dropped his gaze and ran his fingers through the tangles Patsy’s licking had raised, trying to tidy his hair somewhat. _Where_ was Queenie with his case?

“Here you go, hon,” Queenie announced, returning at last.

Newt took a deep breath to settle his Tina-induced jitters. “Right.” He took the case and opened it. “You might want to step back for this bit,” he informed his friends. They complied without a fuss.

Newt turned to his creatures. “In you hop,” he said, setting the case on the floor. Then he gently lifted Ned from his shoulders and lowered him into the case, also shaking the Puffskeins out of his sleeve. “Good. Patsy next.” The dragon nudged him affectionately with her snout, then stepped inside and vanished. Knickers the Unicorn was next, followed by Hermia the Griffin, Ali the Nundu, and the Crup, Paisley, who barked menacingly at Jacob before hopping into the case.

“Fetch Dougal, will you?” Newt said to Jacob, before removing the Mokes from his shirt.

“Sure.” Jacob moved carefully toward the Demiguise, looking a lot less wary now that the larger beasts were gone. Taking their cues from Jacob, Tina and Queenie started shooing the Doxies and Billywigs toward the case.

Working together, it took under ten minutes to empty the room. “Is that all of them?” Tina asked.

Newt ran a hand through his hair. “I think so,” he said slowly. “I want to check to be sure.” He paused. “Do you think I could have my work clothes back?”

”Of course,” Queenie said as Tina blushed. “C’mon, Teenie.”

Newt watched, befuddled, as the sisters left. “Is it embarrassing to keep someone else’s clothes for them?” he asked Jacob.

Jacob shrugged. “I don’t get it either.” They both looked at the door as Tina trotted back in, followed by a smiling Queenie.

”Here,” Tina blurted, shoving a stack of neatly-folded clothing at Newt and averting her eyes hurriedly.

Newt looked down at the bundle. ”Thank you?” He tucked it under his arm and stepped into the case, shooting Tina a bemused glance before the lid closed behind him.

”What was _that_ all about?” Jacob asked.

Tina just shook her head and looked away, a blush staining her cheeks.

*

Inside the case, Newt removed his sleepwear. Then he opened the bundle. His face heated up immediately.

His clothes were cleaner than they’d ever been before. The stains had disappeared. The tears were neatly mended. A Bowtruckle had been embroidered on his pocket in golden thread.

Of course, it could have been Queenie who’d done all of this. But when he sniffed the sleeve of his coat, it smelled like Tina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of this chapter kind of caught me off guard, but it turned out adorable, so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	7. Tina Makes Her Move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait until tomorrow to post the last chapter, as is my custom, but I was inspired in the middle of English class and AAAAH
> 
> Anyway, here's the epilogue, since I'm WEAK for these idiot lovebirds

Newt stood by the door, desperately hoping he didn’t seem as awkward as he felt. He knew Queenie could tell, but he was more concerned about Tina. Then again, Tina had barely looked at him since he’d emerged from the case a little while ago, so maybe she hadn’t noticed.

”Are you sure you can’t stay longer?” Queenie asked.

Newt shook his head. “I don’t want to leave Bunty to take care of things for too long. She’s inexperienced, you know.”

”Well, you be sure to come back as soon as you miss us,” Queenie said, giving him a hug. “We’ll be waiting.”

”I will.” Newt tried to think of something appropriate to say, but all he could come up with was another “Thank you for having me.”

Jacob clapped his shoulder. “Maybe _we_ could visit _you_ next time, huh?”

”I’d like that,” Newt agreed. He glanced at Tina, but her eyes remained on her feet.

"You have your stuff?" Jacob checked.

Newt tilted his head. "You came with me to pick it up." 

"Hey, it doesn't hurt to be sure." 

"It's all here," Newt confirmed, tapping his case. He allowed his friend to give him a tight goodbye hug. "I'll miss you." 

Jacob grinned. "Same, buddy. I'm just glad I don't have to lose my memories this time." Newt smiled back. 

”You’d better get going if you don’t want to miss your ship,” Queenie said abruptly. “Tina’ll go with you.”

Tina’s head jerked up. She stared at Queenie, looking betrayed.

”Yes, of _course_ it’s a good idea to make sure no creatures get out,” Queenie said reassuringly.

”The spells are really quite stable,” Newt objected, blushing. He couldn’t keep his thoughts from continuing, _I want to spend more time with Tina, but things are so awkward right now. I don’t know if I can handle it!_

”Best to be sure though, right?” Jacob pointed out, sharing a knowing look with Queenie.

”Be back by lunch,” Queenie told Tina, and fairly pushed her and Newt out the door. “G’bye, honey!”

Newt stared at the closed door in confusion for a moment, then turned to Tina, who still wasn’t looking at him. “Um… shall we go?”

”Let’s,” Tina mumbled.

They walked in awkward silence for what felt like a long time. Finally, Newt couldn’t take it anymore. “Ah, Tina?”

Tina’s gaze remained glued to the sidewalk. “Mm-hmm?”

“When I was… When I was not feeling well, ah… Did you… did you k- k-” Newt struggled to get the word out. His cheeks felt hotter than Patsy’s breath.

“Kiss you?” Tina’s cheeks were also pink.

Newt coughed. “Yes. That. Er... Did you?”

Silence.

Newt decided to take that as an invitation to continue. “I-It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, it’s just that… that I haven’t been… haven’t received... that… in a l-long time, and I was just… surprised, and I suppose what I wanted to say is, th-thank you for taking care of me while I was… was sick? It was kind of… kind of nice..?”

Tina glanced at him, then averted her eyes. “You need to take better care of yourself, Newt.”

“I do!” Newt protested. “I mean, I don’t get sick very often, so it’s not really an issue. But I can’t neglect my patients just because I’m not feeling well!”

“Newt, you were barely standing. Queenie said your mind was so foggy she could hardly read anything.”

“Oh?” Newt perked up a bit at that. “Um, she _couldn’t_ read anything, right?”

Tina stopped and gave him an exasperated look. “NEWT, THAT’S A BAD THING.”

“Oh.” Newt paused to consider how to keep the conversation going in a less uptight way, then had to trot to catch up with Tina, who’d resumed walking

There was another silence. It lasted until they’d reached the dock.

“Anyway, thank you for looking after me.” Newt hefted his case awkwardly and moved to board the ship with the other passengers.

“Newt, wait.” Newt halted and turned to look at Tina. Taking a step closer, she gave Newt a kiss on the cheek. “Take care of yourself,” she repeated softly, stepping back.

Newt’s cheeks flamed. He stammered something that have been affirmation, then fled up the gangplank. Tina watched him leave, a smile on her face.

They both knew he’d be back. And this time, he might even stay on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends my second AO3 fanfiction! I'm so happy you guys have decided to humour me and my weird ideas! Love you!! Ɛ>

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to <strike>make my day</strike> ask questions, submit fanart, or find more of my work, you can come visit me on [Tumblr](https://grahoria.tumblr.com/). Your company is always welcome!


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